Bypoll turns into a war of words
Kozhikode: Nilambur bypoll campaign has turned into a war of words as opponents are using the remarks of senior leaders, including CM Pinarayi Vijayan and AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, to attack each other.
While UDF is using the CM's 'anti-Malappuram' remark from a media interview about gold smuggling and anti-national funding, LDF is hitting back by targeting Venugopal for comparing welfare pension payments to bribery before the elections.
Venugopal first raked up the CM's Malappuram remarks during UDF's convention on Monday. Then opposition leader VD Satheesan and KPCC chief Sunny Joseph picked it up and accused CPM of having a prejudiced view about Malappuram.
Satheesan stepped up the attack on Wednesday by saying it was Vijayan who made serious allegations against Malappuram.
"The CM's PR team sent notes to all Delhi-based media claiming that Malappuram was a hub for gold smuggling and extremism. After that, he gave a newspaper interview that echoed Sangh Parivar's line. The CM and Sangh Parivar are walking the same path," he said.
Satheesan also said that CPM politburo member A Vijayaraghavan, who came to lead LDF's campaign in Nilambur, had insulted Malappuram many times.
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"Does he still stand by his earlier statement that Priyanka Gandhi won because communal forces voted for her? Are the 95,000 people who voted for Priyanka in Nilambur all extremists? This question needs a clear answer," he added.
LDF candidate M Swaraj hit back saying Congress was bringing up the Malappuram issue out of guilt over its past opposition to the district's formation when it had aligned with Jan Sangh.
Meanwhile, LDF objected to Venugopal's comment that LDF govt was using welfare pension disbursements, including dues, as a 'bribe' ahead of bypoll.
FM KN Balagopal said the remark insulted 62 lakh pensioners in Kerala by implying they vote for money and demanded an immediate retraction. Swaraj also responded, saying welfare pensions are a rightful benefit and calling them bribes insults the state's poor.
Venugopal clarified that during the last Parliament elections, state govt paid two of the six or seven pending pension instalments before polls. "I only asked if they see the disbursement of dues ahead of elections that way.
Twisting it into a bribery allegation is a deliberate misrepresentation," he said.
Satheesan also said those who withheld pensions for six months are now releasing them just before elections and that is the wrong practice Venugopal pointed out. "We will speak out against the govt's attempts to exploit people's misery," he said.
Satheesan said he is taking full responsibility for UDF's official stand in Nilambur. "The fight is between UDF and LDF and no one should try to distract voters from that. Not a single UDF vote will go elsewhere. Political and anti-govt votes will go to UDF. Even BJP is not serious about the contest. When the fight is between UDF and LDF, who else will get the anti-government votes? Nilambur voters are politically aware.
Our majority will make that clear," he said.
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